Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-26
SPARKS AGAIN.

Land Commissioner Sparks il to the
Inter-Mountain what q red flag is to a mad
bull. In season and out Of season, in
peace or in war, whenever thatgentleman's
name is mentioned our p%ugnacious cor
temporary pitches" into him with rancor
in it's heart and blood in it's eye. It is a
causeless, Improbable and harmless fight.
A few facts as cited by the Chicago Herald
will convince the Inter-Mountain OF the
truth OF this assertion il, indeed, that jour
nal may be convinced OF q truth.
"At the time whsn Mr.. Sparks took
charge OF the general land office the veteran
legislator and diplomatist, E. B. Wash
burne, said that in his opinion there was
no department of the government which
had been so notoriously corrupt az the
land Office. Ii the convictions OF observ-
ant persons did not lead them to coincide
with him in this declaration a short exam
nation of the methods OF doing business
in the West and OF the public records show
ing how the public domain has passed into
the hands Of grabbers, corporations, aliens
and absentee landlords would have con-
VluCcu ally OuC HUI q ldllUkIdOUCJ " d
bigot that the remark of the distinguished
Illinoian was literally true. Entering the
Government service in this department., it
became the duty Of General Sparks to up
set many of the schemes OF the element
which had long been filching the Govern.
ment's broad acres under loosely drawn
laws and by means Of perjury and misrep-
resentation. Because some Of these new
rulings bore heavily upon innocent parties
the cry wal set up that Sparks was attack
ing the poor settler, the widow and the Or
phan of the soldier homesteader and the
prosperity OF the country in general. Un-
for the reputation of the party
press, all that is necessary to secure cur
rency for such allegations against an oppo-
nent is to utter them. Mr.. Sparks was i'm
mediately denounced by thousands, who
took no pains to inform themselves of the
of the fight that he had on hand,
md all the time that these slanderous allie
were being made the rings of the
West stood behind them, giving them fresh |
force and illustration. |
Not to be moved by Misrepresentation.
and fortunately backed up by a President
Who knew the source of the attacks which
we're made, Mr.. Sparks at length tired out
lis assailants. and they were forced to re-
'ort to something new. Their latest in
is a story that he is intriguing
With Governor Hill, in the hope that that
will receive the Presidential
nomination next year and that Sparks
nay be his associate on the ticket. If this
ould be established it was thought that a
oolness might arise between the President
nd bis Land Commissioner, and, ever if
Iothing came of it, it was hoped that the
umor would form the basis for suspicious
n Mr.. Cleveland's part which would be po-
entail in undermining his confidence in
fr. Sparks. Probably in this. as In their
attemps in the same line, the
ings will be baked. They have succeeded
giving the Land Commissioner a hard
anne in many places where idle clamor is
ccepted as evidence and where par
? differences are sufficient to cause
belief in any Islander; but if
II. Sparks remain in Office IA few
ears longer the honesty of his purpose
nd the great value of his services will be
idely recognized. In the late Congress he
ad Republican supporters who were will
g to testify to the nature of the work
he had in hand, and to declare their
'ntempt for the rings which were making
ar upon him. In tbenature of things this
ement will increase when the facts come
} be better understood. Ii
Mr.. Sparks is ut present holding the fort
yainst a movement upon the public re- I
'urces which comprehends jobbers and !
regulators from two continents. Until
lis crowd comes to the conclusion that he
Innot be driven out the attacks upon him
continue. When they do reach the !
'nviction that his position is impregnable :
ey will abandon the movement, and :
len, with the fountain Of lies dried up,
party will fail to deny to him. in spite
certain obvious infrmities of temper E
I'd disposition, the full measure of credit .
r the great work which he will have :
me-" +